Matph comb handling conveyer



Sept. 28, 1948.

R. s. PULLEN 2,450,163

MATCH COMB HANDLING CONVEYER 'Filed July 1, 194s 5 SheetsFSheet 1 Il H1 INI] f w. ,n "n 114-1 Sept. 28, 1948.

Filed July l, 1943 R. S. PULLEN MATCH COMB HANDLING CONVEYER 5 {Sheets-Shea?. 2

Sept. 2s, 194s. R. s. PULLEN 2,450,163

MATCH COMB HANDLING CONVEYER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 1, 1943 Sept. Z8, 1948. R. s. PULLEN MATCH 00MB HANDLING CONVEYER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July l, 1943 Sept. 28, 1948. R. s. PULLEN '2,450,153

MATCH 00MB HANDLING coNvEYER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 1, 1943 Patented Sept. 28, 1948' Rodney S- Pollen, Aluon,

lite Company, of Pennsylvania Ohio, assigner to Pullen- Philadelphia, Pa.,` a corporation Application July .1, 1943 Serial Nov 193,117

12 Claims. 1

My invention relates to mechanism for handling mat-ch combs from a hopper, in which the full combs are stored, intermediately, to a conveyor by which the separated pook match comb sections are fed to other mechanism.

One of the purposes of the invention is to cut and separate match comb sections, spacing them and feeding them to conveyor gripping mechanism.

A further purpose is to provide cutting mechanisrn for separating match combs into match s ectionsl mechanism for feeding the .match sections and guiding and diverting mechanism by which the sections lare separated and properly spaced ql' ultimate engagement in groups by a second conveyor which supports them during other operations.

A further purpose is to cut match combs up into sectionssuiteble for match packets, te feed the combs step by step by lconveyor nights which transfer them one step at e time, `and in which the conveyor flights Withdraw from engagement with the sections, retracting lengthwise of the conveyor to the rear of the following sections, re-engage but with different sections ond again convey one step and Withdraw from engagement. Further purposes appear `in. the specicotion and in the claims,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of e hopper containing .match ,comicsy and of fragmentary mechanism $0 for .feeding the combs, Further mechanism .is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 2 is a section of Figure l taken upon line l2--2 and looking in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 2e is a section upon line 22R-:2a of Figure ,2b.

Figure 2l is a section upon line YZP---ZlJ of Figure r2?.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan View of a further portion of the mechanism seen in Figure 1, `show-ing mechanism operating concurrently withthe operation of the parts in Figure 1 but upon stock which already has been acted upon by u the structure of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical section parallel to the direction of match movement, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure ilJ showing operating mechanism -for cutting the match combs and conveying comloy sections.

Figure 4:a is a fragmentary top `plan View .of a ,part of Figure 4,

Figure 5 is a section of the mechanism seen in Figure 3 taken upon line .5-5..

the match giol Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of driving Connections ror the plunger and flipper operation- Figure 6a is a, fragmentary cross-section showing the pioneer of. Figure 6- Figure ot sections sospeced by supporting the stubs oi the sections upon e conveyor chain `for hepdline, et other points @urine the meningor the packets Though I indicate. o tour pocket como ond show mechanism adopted to such o como, vit is my intention to doel with, out separate and mount comps of Whatever length', whatever the number of matches'involved and Whatever the number of pocket sections,-

The match cornlos l0 .ere ,stored in pairs Il, one pair above another in a, hopper I2, each pair includine combs L3 andl I4 .having their stick ends reverseiy turned.. those in the lower como of the pair pointing forwardly, in the correct direction- The hopper rcstset position .A .above o ble ,l5 upon which the .comps .are ejected to position B by o plunger unit i6 including a plunger l1 and operating mechanism seen .in Figure `6. Frontl this position the upper combs ore iiipped o holt turn each about, a transverse exis .ond .ere .also trans- `lierred .from conveyor position .1:3 to conveyor posi- .tion C, by unit 'i8 (Figures 1 end 6) including viiipper I9.-

The teloie is slotted longitudinally throughout most ptits Working Ylength ,at 29, 2l, 22 andf23 to permit operation in these slots oi a plurality Vof conveyor nights .24, 25, 26 and .21 carrying pusher copyeyorloiodes 38, 2,8, ,30 and 3l and, alone with the cradle conveyor operating .mechanism for it (Figures 2, i and o), .forming .a pusher conveyor unit 3 2,

t a suitable position to the left of the flipper unitis located a cutting unit 33 .comprising cutting kniyes 34 to cut off the side sections rand knives ,35 to yout the center, as well as the operating mechanism for these knives.

At the left end of Figure-5 and at the left in H is fragmentary perspective oi port of the plunger of Figure 6.

Figure 4 is shown a transverse conveyor, indicated as of chain type, having successive groups of chains and corresponding comb-section-supporting devices 36 in the form of spring clips 31.

All of the mechanism is illustrated as being driven from a main shaft 38 mounted upon a standard 39 and communicating by pulley 46 and belt 4| with a pulley 42 upon an intermediate or countershaft 43. Upon the countershaft is mounted a pulley 44 connected by belt 4I with a pulley 45 mounted upon a third shaft (second countershaft) 46.' Any suitable motor or belt drive (not shown) may be applied to shaft 38.

A plunger I1 is guided to move through openings 41, 48 in the front and back of the lower part of the hopper. It is important that the pusher eject a pair of combs (an upper comb and a lower comb of the same pair, together) each time and this is ensured by providing prongs 49 at intervals along the upper pusher edge, which fit into the spaces between the matches of the lower comb pair and the heads of the lower comb in the next upper pair of combs.

The plunger is thrown to th'e left and back again by a link l), engaging pivotally with the plunger at 5| at one end and at the other end at 52 with the longer end 53 of a lever 54. The lever is pivoted at 55 in a bracket 56 carried by the bed.

The lever extends beyond the pivot 55 at 51 and terminates in a roller 58 which lies within a cam slot 59 opening from the face opposite to the observer in Figure 6 of an internal cam wheel 66 driven by the second countershaft 46.

The lever extension 51 (the shorter arm of lever 53) is of such proportion and the internal cam slot is of such throw and angular location with' respect to the conveyor movements that the plunger operates at every other conveyor stage of movement, after the conveyor starts to move. This is secured by the angular timing of the cam slot and by rotation'of the cam wheel 66 but once for each two stages of movement of the conveyor.

Each lower comb of a pair is shifted from position A to position B before another pair of combs can be ejected. A second set of flight conveyor blades follows the ejected pair into position to be ready to transfer the lower comb of each pair to position C in the next (second) conveyor stage movement.

At the same time that the rst stage of flight conveyor movement is shifting the flight conveyor blades which' had been back of position B to a position where they are back of position C, other flight blades have transferred a comb from position C to position D. This clears position C.

That position C shall be clear at this time is necessary for two reasons: (l) so that the flippers can emerge from their dotted position in Figure 1 to `make a clockwise half turn and come back -again and (2) so that on the back stroke of the flippers there will be an empty position C upon which to rest the comb which is flipped.

It will be clear that the flippers engage, advance and turn over end for end the upper comb only of each pair so that the combs are then arranged with the same match ends forward in all positions throughout the conveyor length.

The flipper movement must take place during the interval between the flrst conveyor flight movement and the beginning of the second conveyor flight movement, for the reason that th'e position C is not vacant for operation of the flipper until after the first conveyor flight movement and the second conveyor flight movement, if it began, would move the comb pair (or the lower one of 4 the combs if the flipper had raised the upper one) from position B so as to interfere with' the flipper deposit of the upper one of the combs upon position C.

There are two flippers, one extending into the bed position from one side and the other from the other side. Except for the differences necessary because of the direction of extension, they are identical. For this reason the one nearer to the observer in Figure 1 only will be described.

The flipper normally lies in the position seen in Figure 1 in dotted lines with the nozzle mouth below the surface of the bed and from that position turns in clockwise direction and back again through an opening 6l in the table.

The flipper supply pipe tube 62 is mounted in bearings 68 and 69, preferably using filler 10 as the inner bearing member, and preventing longitudinal pipe movement by a flange 12 upon a ller engaging one bearing.

Each flipper includes an oscillatory supply pipe tube 62, terminating in an externally threaded flange 62' and a transverse closure plate 622 having an opening in half of the plate, performing air valve functions (see Figures Za'and 2b). The pipe connects with a nipple 63 (Figure 2) from which vacuum connection is made. The nipple end also carries valve plate 63 having opening 632 in half of the plate.

The two openings 623 and 632 register in the position of Figure l to apply Vacuum or to out olf air suction according to the position of the flipper, seen at the left in dotted lines in Figure 1. Vacuum connection is applied at intermediate positions. Flange 63 upon the outer circumference at the end of the nipple is engaged by interior flange 64 within nut 64. Internally threaded sleeve 642 on this nut engages threaded flange 62' to hold the parts together.

At the opposite end of the oscillatory pipe from the nipple is located an off-center open mouthed flipper nozzle 65. The nozzle is connected with the tube through an elbow 66 and an off-center nearly radial tube section 61.

A gear wheel 13 is mounted to rotate with the pipe. Its hub 14 can be used to limit suction pipe movement by engagement with the bearings. The flipper nozzle mouth normally lies a little below the table and oscillates between that position and the position shown by line 15 representing the height of the pair of combs ejected (see Figure 6). Suitable valve mechanism operates during counterclockwise movement of the flipper from a position at which the flippers mouth engages the top comb until the flipper desposits this upper comb at position C. This valve construction is not intended to be claimed by me in this case. A sleeve valve opened by movement of the flipper or separate valve mechanism might be used.

Gear 13 is turned by gear 16 upon bearing 11, and is rocked by thrust rod 18 turning about a pin 19. A quadrant stroke is provided, between pin position 86 and pin position SI. Since gear 16 is twice the diameter of gear 73. gear 13 is thus oscillated through 180 of turning movement.

Thrust rod 18 carries wheel 82 which ts into face cam B3 of cam wheel 84 carried by shaft 46. Cam wheel 84 rotates of course at the same speed as cam wheel 66, i. e. one turn for every two stages of flight conveyor as above.

The angular position and extent of the internal cam used to operate thrust rod 18 and the position of this thrust rod must be such that the thrust rod suitably guided will lift and lower to and 'C 'at which latter 'livered at the end of the returnnipper stroke;

tions and operating mechanism for handling'the match combs, and the sections out from them,

kfromthe hopper totheir final delivery between spring clamping clips 'carried by the links of the chain conveyor.

the top of the pair with Figure l includes the hopper (position A); the l ejecti'ng mechanism delivering to position B; the flipping mechanism turning between Vpositions B the flipped combs are vdeand positions D and E anda part of position F.

Though the flipping is .over at position C and it will ne possible to begin cutting at positionD, so far as the actual freedom from interference of mechanisms is concerned,'non.active positions are provided, such as D, E and F which .may vary in number according to the length of space desired, in which there is opportunity for placing combs if anyof the combs fail to be fed bythe plunger and flipper in the preceding positions. This avoids gapsin comb sections .fed to the .clips carried by links inthe chain conveyor.

. The combs whichhave been fed from .the hopper Aare fed through these relatively idle :spaces or positions but no `operation is intended to be performed upon them at these idle points.

The further operation of the mechanism comlprises the handling of the match combs to cut them up into match packet sections and to space them laterally so that they may properly register with clip receiving devices carried by a chain conveyor, one clip and one packet section for each link of the length of the chain conveyor.

The match combs considered are ydescribed for a group of four match packet sections reach and the operation based upon such comb length is described herein, but this is by way of illustration only. The combs are advanced step-by-step to the position at which the nrst cuts .areto be niade. The nrst cuts take olf the match packet sections at the ends, leaving the center pair of match packet sections still united. As soon as the match packets at the ends have been cut free (at position G), they are diverted .to space them from the central (as yet uncut) pair of match packet sections before the latter shall h ave .been `cut free. This gives time `so that there shall be time to divert the outside match packet sections additionally when the match packet sections comprising the central pair are divided at a later position (at position H) and as the central sections are separated, one from the other of each pair. In order that this may be accomplished, the cutting operations, nrst that of cutting off the. two side sections and next that of dividing .the .sections remaining, .are spaced along the conveyor length to any convenient extent but .it is notnecessary to space the .cuts farther longitudinally of the comb travel than one packet position because that spacing is sufficient so that the outside sections can be diverted before the .second cut is made, by which second cut the inside sectionsare 'separated and can `be diverted.

It will be evident that the side and centralcut's lare made concurrently-and the central knife is located in advance of the others, cutting :in a laterally central portion upon a match comb which already hashad its side portions trimmed .from it and which moreover 4has had its side .match sections vdiverted from the central section. .In Figure 3 the -flrst position is shown, .It Vis or may be anlidler position, such as F, seenin part .in Figure 1,'but the nrst action takes place 'inposition G andfurther operating positions vare one common supporting, rlifting and oscillating mechanism. Each moves its blades and `the combs'or comb sections in front of them through one `position length and then returns to move succeeding combs or comb sections through the same position length.

The conveyor flightsare nearly identical, differing in that the two flights near the middle of lthe table are extended farther than the two Yflights adjacent .the respective outer edges of the table, There are three reasons for this. One is that the two nights near the' middle of vthe width .of the table are sufficient to handle the match combs until after they are cut, and so are used vbeginning at position B to advance .the lower comb of the pair ejectedto the left fromposition B to position C, to .advance the combs at C to D, D to E, E to F and F toG. Anotherreasonis that the positions of the flippers interfere with operation of the outside .conveyor flights beyond position Vl or position E.v Athird reason is that the cutting of the sections from the combs be- .gins at Ythe outer ends .of the comb and these outside conveyor flights have their first separate Vduty when the lnrst cuts .have been lmade,.which in Figure 3'is seen to be at position G. Y Another feature in whichthe four .flights are not all alike is that though some ypusher blades in each of the .flights are laterally offset with respect to other pusher blades in the same nights., pusher blades in the outer nights are farther offset Within the total `lengths than are the pusher blades for the inner nights because the outer` flights vmust take care of not only their .own spacing from `the inner flights lbut the ultimate spacing of some of the pusher blades of the inner flights,-one flight from theother.

The mechanism by which the night .conveyors Aare .operatedin unison is shown in Figures .1, 3,4 and.

Tubular guides for the conveyor driving vmechanism are carried by pedestals B6 on opposite Asides of the table. Within the guides 85 move vertical rods 81 rigidly connected with the side bars ".88 of a cradle 89, in which bars Vreduced ends 9|, `9| of the rods are held by nuts 92. The side bars carry guides, for a blade-supporting plate 94.

The .cradle is .lifted and lowered by mechanism best seen in Figures 4 andv 5.

Theheight of the plate is thus determined vby `the mechanism ofFigures4 and5 and .it isshifted 7 forwardly and rearwardly by the arm |09. The extent of movement is short, and a match comb or match packet which has been shifted by one Y,

conveyor blade is engaged by the next conveyor blades progressively to carryit from one end of the conveyor to the other and finally to engage the strips at the stick ends of the matches with the clips of the chain conveyor as later described. The composite movements effected by the lifting,

and longitudinal shifting, of the plate result in the conveyor blades from their forward positions lowering beneath the table, travelling rearwardly in the lower position, lifting at their limits of travel and moving forwardly in their lifted position to perform their conveying functions.

Countershaft 43 carries two lifting face cams 95 and 96 and an intermediate face cam 91 by which oscillation of the plate 94 is secured. The lifting face cams have facing cam grooves 98 and 99 which receive rollers |00 secured by pins |0| upon thrust arms |02, |03. The thrust arms connect at their upper ends through eyes |04, 05 and pins |06 with the side bars 88. At the lower ends these thrust arms are divided to form yokes at |01. These yokes straddle guides |08 rotatable with the shaft, maintaining the lower ends of the thrust arms against movement transversely of the countershaft. The face cams, rollers and thrust rods thus provide vertical movement of the cradle side bars and of the plate 94.

The lever arm |09 is pivoted at its lower end at ||0 about a fixed pin and at its upper end is pivotally connected to link ||2 which connects at the opposite end to pin |3 in eye I3 rigid with the plate 94. At an intermediate point the lever arm |09 carries roller ||4 by pin ||5. The roller and its lever are shifted laterally by the walls o-f a cam groove ||6 in a face cam 91 rotatable with the countershaft.

The two face cams 95, 96 with their thrust rods and the face cam 91 with its oscillating arm are timed to produce a composite movement of the plate 94 and of the pusher flight conveyor blades (for all of the flight conveyors) such that the blades travel to the left in Figures 1 and 3 during their match comb and match comb section conveying movement, lower at the extreme left so that the blades drop below the table level, travel to the right in these ilgures in their inactive return movement, and finally lift at the extreme right so that the blades reach above the table and are in position to carry match combs and match comb sections with them on their next conveying movement to the left. The composite movements of all of the blades of all of the flight conveyors are therefore the same and are timed the same so that when the lower match comb of the ejected pair is being moved from position B to position C, match combs or later match comb sections are being moved by other blades from position C to position D and from position D to position E, etc. throughout the length of the table, the final blades at the left of the figures forcing thematch combs between spring nger clips attached to and carried by links of the link belt conveyor.

The upper ends of the rods 81 are extended to carry a beam ||1 held to them by nuts ||8, ||9. The beam supports knives 34-34 (Figure 5) intended to operate lengthwise of the bed at position G in the drawing in Figure 3, and a knife 35 intended to operate also longitudinally `of the bed at position H in Figure 3. These knives are supported from the beam by brackets |20. The knives lift and lower with the conveyor cradle and hence perform their cutting functions at the below the surface of the table ready for their 4return movement to the right in Figures 1 and 3.

They therefore out after the flight conveyor blades have carried match combs or match comb sections to the respective positions G and H and while the combs at position G and comb sections at position H are resting free from movement.

The conveyor blades 28-3l are supported from the plate 94 by brackets I2 to which they are held by means of bolts |22.

The cutting knives have each a length along the length of the bed just sufficient reliably to cut the stubs of the match comb material to separate parts of the comb into comb sections, at position G, to cut off the outer comb sections from the two as yet integral intermediate comb sections which in turn are divided at position H.

In Figure 1 the entire lengths of the table slot portions seen are straight, that is parallel with the length of the table and without offsetting. The two flights 25 and 26 only are extended to engage combs at position B and these flights are the only ones whose blades transfer from position B to position C, from C to D, from D to E and from E to F.

At position F the blades of flights 24 and 21 come into operation, preliminary to the separation of the outside sections of the match combs from the intermediate sections. Until this separation takes place at position G the intermediate flights 25 and 26 are suillcient to handle the match combs. Since the slots for the outside flights are not cut through beyond position E, the table can be supported additionally to the right of position F by a generally triangular frame reinforcement |2I which stops at the slots 2| and 22. g

- The movement of the flight conveyors and the coincident movements of the .cutting knives set the time of the entire mechanism. Though the slots and conveyor blade positions are in line up to position G, where the first cuts take place, from position G on the [comb sections are diverted laterally as well :as conveyed lengthwise of the'table; andthe flight conveyor blades contribute to the diversion or separation of these comb sections. This is readily accommodated because the conveyor blades move only the length of one position and then reverse their direction. This affects flights 24 and 2'! from G to H and all of the flights from H to I, from I to J and from The diversion beginning at position G after the cuts have .been made at that point, are effected. by a combination of guides, and offsetting and sloping pusher faces. The diagonal guiding members |23 and |24 extend between slots 20 and 2| and between slots 22 and 23 from the left ends of position G to the right ends of position J, respectively beyond which, with the construction shown, they are not needed, and diagonal guide faces |25 and |25, are effective between slots 2| and 22 from the left end of position H to position J.

The transfer blades are offset successively in the oruter flights at positions H, I and J with respect to the placing of these parts in position B to G, and in the inner flights they are offset at I only. There is a corresponding offsetting of the slots within which these blades travel.

Since the outside sections only have been severed at position G, from this position to position H these are the only sections which are diverted and the blades which transfer from position G `to position H, therefore divert only as to blades 28 land 3| of flights 24 and 21. However at position I-I, where the cut takes place between the two intermediate match comb sections, these intermediate sections are also diverged and because of their divergence the outer sections must be further diverged to make room for them. For this reason all of the blades 28, 29, 3D and 3| are offset for transfer from position I to position J and the blades 28 and 3| are offset for transfer also from position J to position K.

The diagonal guides |23 and |24 as well as the diagonal guide faces |25 and |26 are assisted 'in their guiding function by diagonal -front faces |21 of the blades 28 land 3| at position G for transfer from position G to position H; and as to all the blades from position H to I and from position J to position K. A

The diversion of the sections separates them to the intended extent during their transfer from position to position until as they rest at position J they are separated each from its adjoining sections by the distance desired in operating upon them subsequently; and with this spacing the nal conveyor blades transfer the sections from position J to position K at which their respective stubs are pushed between the springs of clips 31 carried by the successive links of the chain conveyor nmit 36.

In order to show utility for the separating and spacing of the comb sections into four concurrently fed comb sections-or permissibly a different number, vwhere the intended group is differentthe chain conveyor mechanism is described by which-mechanism the sections forming the selected group are received by the chain conveyor and are transferred to another position, or to other positions for further operations.

The construction by which the chain conveyor is advanced is shown at the left in Figure 4. Upon the main shaft 38 is mounted a worm |29 which engages successively with rollers |30 upon a gear |3|. The worm and roller spacing ensures that the worm is always pressing against at least one roller.

Gear |3| meshes with a gear |32 mounted upon a shaft |33 which carries also a sprocketor gear wheel |34 by which chain |35 of the chain conveyor is driven. This chain conveyor carries spring clips 31, one for each link. The gears |3| and |32 are supported from a bracket |36 and the worm (cam) and gear connection (ratio) is such that the rollers upon gear |3| are advanced one roller for every -conveyor position rfeed; but this distance is multiplied because of` the ratio of gear |3| to gear |32 so that for each one position advance of the rst (flight) conveyors (carrying four sections) the transverse (chain) conveyor advances four clips at a time. These receive the four sections of comb and, with the next step-by-step conveyor ad- Vance, pass on while four other clips take their places. In other words, four chain conveyor links with their spring clips are advanced at a time and are maintained in position to receive four match comb sections for each feed of the flight conveyors.

The chain conveyor advances the clip-supported match sections, in groups of four to successive positions perpendicular to the 'paper in Figure 4 and holds the sections while they are acted upon to apply wraps and covers and thus to form packets. The movements of the chain conveyor take place during times when the flight conveyors are not moving the sections and permissibly while the flight conveyor blades are movements.

The combs are advanced step-by-step'by the flight conveyor and at suitable stops the sections intended for match packets are cut apart and the match packets are separated to a distance corresponding to that at which they are tobe acted upon in further operations.

In the mechanism shown, in which the full comb is divided into four quarter com-b sections, it has been convenient to out the outside sections olf rst, in position G, and to separate the two inside sections from each other later as at position H.

After the separation of the outside sections at position G, the conveyor flights perform a combined function upon these sections, namely pushing them forward and at the same time guiding them diagonally to a proper spacing from the as yet unsevered middle portion of the comb. The two inner sections are then separated and the flights of the conveyor push them forward and at the same time divert them to give their proper spacing. Concurrently the outside sections are further diverted to maintain proper spacing between them and the now diverging inner sections.

When the four sections have been properly spaced and positioned they are pushed sticks first into the four clips of the (transverse) chain conveyor. n

Since each step-by-step movement of the four flight conveyors place four match sections to the chain conveyor, the chain conveyor match receiving clips advance in units of four clips at a time to receive them, carrying them off to the left in the figures in time for four new clips to replace the four just filled so as to receive the next group of four sections fed .by the night conveyor.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a match comb handling system, a table, a step-by-step ight conveyor movable therein and having a plurality of conveyor blades, a cradle suporting the conveyor blades and in which the conveyor blades are movable longitudinally of the table, cam operated means for lifting and lowering the cradle and cam operated reciprocating means guided by the cradle moving the conveyor blades longitudinally of the table, means for timing the several cam operated means to lift the conveyor blades to operating height above the table, to move the conveyor blades lengthwise of the table while they carry the match combs one step, to lower the blades below the table level and to reverse the blade movement beneath the table to a position where the blades can be raised, moved, lowered, reversed, etc, to repeat the operation.

2. In a match com-b handling mechanism, a step-by-step flight conveyor having blades in sets oppositely offset with respect to each other in a general direction of travel and forwardly directed diagonal faces upon the offset bladesy the d1' agonal faces .being disposed oppositely. whereby sections of match combs which are laterally spaced with respect to the direction of travel are engaged by the different blades and the diagonal faces tend to further separate the said sections laterally.

3. In match comb handling mechanism, a conveyor system comprising a plurality of conveyors which are positioned in spaced lateral arrangement and move in step-by-step motion, each conveyor comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced nights made up of blades, some of which are offset from one another at their different step-by-step positions, means for forwardly advancing the conveyors in the step-by-step movement, cutting mechanism for separating the match combs, adapted to cut transversely of the combs and located in position laterally between the nights of the conveyors, whereby the combs are cut into comb sections adapted separately to be conveyed by the night conveyor, guiding mechanism within the path of movement of the comb sections for diverting match comb sections cut from other comb sections and tapered faces on the offset night blades tapering in a diagonal direction in which the comb sections are guided.

4. In a match comb handling mechanism, a plurality of conveyor flights each having a plurality of blades, some offset with respect to others in each of the flights, cutting mechanism for cutting outer match comb sections from inner match comb sections at one step-by-step conveyor position, cutting means for cutting the inner match comb sections from the match comb at a later conveyor position as compared with the nrst cutting means, and guides for diverting the match comb sections after they have been cut, the blade positions being offset to accommodate the sections in the positions to which they have been been guided.

5. In a match comb and comb section handling system, a table having longitudinal slots, having narrower spacing, slot to slot at the rear ends of said slots than at their forward ends, nights operating in said slots, having forward faces inclined at an angle to the directions of movement of said nights, for engaging comb sections to divert said sections from the line of slots of narrower spacing to the line of slots of wider spacing and means for raising and lowering and for reciprocating the nights to move the match comb sections .toward the positions of wider slot spacing.

6. In a match comb and comb section handling system, a table having longitudinal diverging slots, having wider spacing, slot to slot at the forward ends of said slots than at their rearward ends, nights operating in said slots and nxed guides between said nights and diverging at an angle to the directions of movement of said nights, tending to divert comb sections from the line of slots of narrower spacing to the line of slots of wider spacing and means for raising and lowering and for reciprocating the nights to move the match comb sections toward the `positions of wider slot spacing.

7. In a match comb and comb section handling system, a table having longitudinal slots progressively at wider spacing one slot from the next, conveyor nights progressively at wider spacing, one slot from the next, adapted to engage successive match combs or comb sections in each of said slots, means for advancing said nights in engaging position, for lowering the nights from engagement with the combs or sections, for reversing the movement of said nights in idle movement, and for lifting said nights to cause the nights to engage comb sections for reengagement but with other match comb sections, knives adapted to separate the match combs into match comb sections and operated by the means for lowering and lifting the nights, there being slots extending parallel to the direction of advance in advance of the first slots, generally in line with them but having wider spacing between the slots than the spacing of the nrst slots, additional nights operating in the more widely spaced slots, the conveyor nights including outwardly wedging, forwardly pressing movable means for diverting the match comb sections cut, from the lines of the nrst slots to the lines of the second slots, respectively, as the sections cut are advanced by the several nights.

8. In a match comb and comb section handling system, a table having longitudinal slots progressively at wider spacing one slot from the next, conveyor nights progressively at wider spacing, one slot from the next, adapted to engage successive match combs or comb sections in each of said slots, means for advancing said nights in engaging position, for lowering the nights from engagement with the combs or sections, for reversing the movement of said nights in idle movement, and for lifting said nights for re-engagement but with other match comb sections, knives adapted to separate the match combs into match comb sections and operated by the means for lowering and lifting the nights, there being slots extending parallel to the direction of advance in advance of the nrst slots, generally in line with them but having wider spacing between the slots than the spacing of the nrst slots, additional nights operating in the more widely spaced slots and operated by the same means as the first nights, the conveyor nights including outwardly wedging movable means for diverting the match -comb sections cut, from the lines of the nrst slots to the lines of the second slots as the sections cut are advanced by the several nights.

9. In a conveyor for match sections, a conveyor bed having longitudinally extending spaced rear slots and forward slots in general line with them but ahead of them and spaced a wider distance than the spacing of the rear slots, conveyor nights located in the several slots, advancing and retracting means common to the nights for bringing the nights into engagement concurrently with various match sections so as to shove the match sections forwardly when the nights are in raised position and to retract the nights in reverse direction when the nights are in lowered position and means for concurrently lifting the nights prior to their` forward movement so that the nights will engage with the match sections and for concurrently lowering the nights when they have reached the forward end of their night stroke in order that they may be idled back.

10. In a conveyor for match combs and match sections, a conveyor bed having longitudinally extending spaced rear slots and forward slots in general line with them but ahead of them and spaced a wider distance than the spacing of the rear slots, conveyor nights located in the several slots, means common to the nights for advancing the nights in raised position concurrently to push match sections lengthwise of the bed to the end of the forward night stroke and, after the nights are lowered, to idle the nights reversely to the rear position of their stroke, means for concurrently lowering the nights at the end of their forward Strokes and for concurrently lifting the flights at the ends of their rearward strokes into their initial positions, to engage with a new set of match sections for the next movement, and forwardly and outwardly sloping faces upon some of the flights to press sections outwardly with forward movements of the flights so that the sections are in line for engagement at the next flight movements by more widely spaced flights.

11. In a conveyor for match sections, a conveyor bed having longitudinally extending spaced rear slots and forward slots in general line with them but ahead of them and spaced a wider distance than the spacing of the rear slots, conveyor flights located in the several slots, means common to the flights for advancing and retracting the flights longitudinally with respect to the slots, means for lifting the flights prior to their forward movement along the slots and for lowering the flights after this forward movement has been completed, cutting means acting concurrently at different positions along the lengths of the slot to cut match combs located at different distances along the lengths of the slots, mechanism for operating the cutting means, and means for diverging the match combs cut at the different positions whereby the match comb sections ultimately cut are spaced uniformly from each other.

12. In a conveyor for match sections, a conveyor bed having longitudinally extending spaced rear slots and forward slots in general line with them but ahead of them and spaced a Wider distance than the spacing of the rear slots, conveyor flights located in the several slots, means common to the flights for advancing and retracting the flights longitudinally with respect to the slots, means for lifting the flights prior to their forward movement along the slots and for lowering the flights after this forward movement has been completed, cutting means acting concurrently at different positions along the lengths of the slot to cut match combs located at different distances along the lengths of the slots, mechanism for operating the cutting means, there being conveyor-flight-carried diverging guide surfaces engaging the match sections during their forward travel whereby the sections are shifted into position to be engaged by the more widely spaced flights and guide means for diverging the match combs cut at the different positions whereby the match comb sections ultimately cut are spaced uniformly from each other.

RODNEY S. PULLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of tL is patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,693,606 Jones Dec. 4, 1928 Re. 17,524 Ferretti Dec. 17, 1929 1,798,570 Wahl Mar. 31, 1931 1,924,264 Von Hocfstadt Aug. 29', 1933 1,962,788 Schafer June 12, 1934 1,971,992 Schafer Aug. 28, 1934 2,269,816 Gustin Dec. 13, 1942 2,305,525 Gustin Dec. l5, 1942 

